Mosquito Control Tips in the Fall and Winter

Halloween is this weekend and it sure snuck up on us (perhaps because of the almost 80 degree temperatures in Virginia Beach), but that coffee drink menu and everyone’s Pinterest boards tell me the pumpkin has arrived! Yes, Fall is here and bringing with it the end of the mosquito treatment season for many (though not all) of our locations. That said, until you’ve had your first frost and temperatures consistently stay below 55, you may still see those pesky mosquitoes buzzing around.

Those are who lucky enough to still be enjoying this warmth and sunshine should still rely on Mosquito Joe services to keep your yard itch free, but if you’ve already switched from A/C to heat and you’re putting on your jacket in the morning, mosquitoes are probably fading from your mind. What you may not know is that there’s still some precautions to take in the fall and winter months to maintain a mosquito-free yard, even after your last spray. Here’s what you should know:

In the autumn months after mating, male mosquitoes die. But did you know female mosquitoes actually hibernate? That’s right, they can actually survive the winter months. In the spring when the weather warms up, they seek blood to feed on so they can lay their eggs. All mosquito larvae (eggs) require water, even in winter, and mosquito larvae can last years. As the water temperature drops, it basically creates a dormant stage in the mosquito larvae called diapause, which stops further development. Development resumes when the water warms again. They’re just full of tricks, aren’t they?

So as you’re outside this weekend trick-or-treating, raking leaves, or just enjoying some cooler temperates, remove all standing water from your yard and remove objects like toys or flower pots that can collect rainwater. This will ensure that come springtime, you don’t have an early hatching.

And for all those customers who have seen the yellow MoJo van for the last time this season, we say THANK YOU. We love making outside fun again and you give us the opportunity to do that. Happy Halloween from all of us at Mosquito Joe! We hope it is full of lots of treats, no tricks and definitely no mosquitoes!